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The number of Denver homicides in the first three months of this year fell sharply compared with the same period last year, city officials said Friday.

Eight homicides have been reported so far during the first quarter, according to the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner. That compares with 14 in the first quarter of 2013, representing a 43 percent drop.

Last year was the highest first-quarter total dating to 2009.

The lowest number of first-quarter homicides in the past five years was six, which was in 2009.

The number of homicides typically rises in summer months and during the winter holidays.

A well connected son of a state politician is running in a house district primary - His new bride spent her post college years working for AEI and Newt Gingrich. Newt credits glowingly in his books and she co-wrote a handful of articles articulating Newt's greedy icky theories - all of which made me hurl.

He claims she was young... but not so much when she went back and did some stuff for Newt's 2012 POTUS run. .

Tom Sullivan, whose 27-year-old son Alex was killed in the Aurora theater shooting, on Wednesday voiced outrage at comments from a state senator who said it was perhaps “a good thing” the gunman had a 100-round magazine.

Sen. Bernie Herpin, R-Colorado Springs, said it “was maybe a good thing he (suspect James Holmes) had a 100 – round magazine because it jammed,” in a July 2012 shooting that killed 12 and injured dozens.

“If he had instead had four, five, six 15-round magazines, no telling how much damage he could have done until a good guy showed up,” said Herpin, as he offered testimony before a Senate Judiciary Committee on a bill to repeal a law that limits ammunition magazines to 15 rounds.

In recent days, several supporters of repealing gun control laws passed in 2013, have stressed that larger ammunition magazines jam easier than lower-round magazines.

“There’s just a real lack of empathy for the victims, for everyone impacted by the shooting,” said Sullivan, who testified in opposition to Herpin’s repeal measure. Since his son’s death, Sullivan has dedicated much of his time to voicing support for tougher gun control laws across the country.

The Seattle Seahawks are undoubtedly the most poppin’ team in the NFL today. They have the cool west coast coach, a swag star for a quarterback, some fresh-ass uniforms and some of the rowdiest fans in the league.

But there is, of course, more than meets the eye. The Seahawks have one of the most intimidating defenses in the NFL, with one of the most prolific secondaries who makes life impossible for guys like Colin Kaepernick. But it’s more than just great coaching and personnel that makes this team so great; it’s the preparation.

Some of these notable Seahawks techniques have been revealed, after it was published in a recent edition of ESPN The Magazine that players are all mandated to meditate and do yoga. Head coach Pete Carroll admitted that his guys are all required to take a class. This, of course, goes hand-in-hand with the meditation, which all of the players also do.

Joe Scarborough had nothing but laughter Monday when asked about recent pushback from Gov. Chris Christie's administration over a negative story about the New Jersey governor. Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer alleged on Saturday on MSNBC's "Up With Steve Kornacki" that Christie withheld Sandy relief funds to force her to approve a certain development plan -- a charge the governor's office has denied.

On Monday, "Today" host Savannah Guthrie asked the "Morning Joe" host about a statement issued by a Christie spokesperson that "MSNBC is a partisan network that has been openly hostile to Gov. Christie and almost gleeful in their efforts attacking him." But Scarborough, who has been open about his close friendship with the governor, had already begun laughing before Guthrie could finish.